Sheet-metal folder



Nov. 11, 1930.

F. J. JARECKI SHEET METAL FOLDER Filed Aug. 27 192 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 v Trunk c5. damcki g-o/ w W Normal .Nov. 1 1, 1930. J JAREcKl 1,781,180

SHEET METAL FOLDER Filed Aug. 27 92 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NlTowga;

Nov. 11, 1930. F. J. JARECKI 1,781,180

SHEET METAL FOLDER Filed Aug. 27 192 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nlome Nov. 11, 1930. F. J. JARECKI SHEET METAL FOLDER Filed Aug. 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet .4

In? a \n u enTo'r Yrcmk d. dm'eck'z QGTQI'RQCISL Patented Nov. 11, 1930 a v 1 1,781,180 i v v nnAN'K IAREGKI; on GRAND Ramps, MICHIGQN v SHEET-METAI FOLDER Application filed Augnst 27, 1928; 1 Serial {1%. 302396.

invention relates to a sheet if metal foldingma'chine designed for folding sheet metal either up'o'nitself to eliminate "sharp or rough edges, or tofold one part or section 0f 'a'plate of-rsheet metal! at a desired angle with respect tothe remaining portionthereof. The plates. of sheet metal folded in many cases are .ofconsiderable width and in order to obtain a proper fold of the metal theldies 10' should beheld rigid particularly at'the eX- treme end of the folding'operation and 'kept from springing downward which they are liable to do under the pressure applied there to-iparticularly'at the intermediate portion ,5 of the undendiegwhich,heretofore has been supported only-at its ends. With my inven tion an automatic support for the middle portion of the under' die is broughtinto, play,

as the r'folding; operation nears" its complev2 tion thereby holding; theintermdiate or middle portion of the die rigid against any downward" ispringingi and causing the metal to be foldecl'uniformly without discrepancies which otherwise occur between the ends of the fold.-' t r "Myinvention isparticularly directed to this novel feature as willbeunderstood from the following description taken" in connec tion with the accompanying 'drawings,' in which, I Fig; lis a front elevation of the "machine; certain parts being broken away and shown in section for a better disclosure of the con stru'ction. 2 is an end elevation thereof with partsbroken awayand'in section. 7 r "Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section be tween the'ends: of the machine, showing'the machineinj the position fit occupies when the'she'et'metal is'"inserted therein, and Figs'u and i5 arefragmentary' section's similar to those shown in FigJi'} butil'lustratingother positions of the machineduring the "metal "folding operations. performed thereby. r r; j 1 'y Like reference charactersrefertolike-parts in the different-figures; off the drawings.

In the construction of the machine, end.

supports 1' of the proper form are provided, aboveand attached toEwhich-is jazheav'y horinot, an essential feature specificallyofthe station of the shaft ll'the gear segments G are zontaltable 2 which, at a point between' its ends -at its front sde has a recess 3 a'ssh0wn for afpurpose which will later-app'ean A bracket Lisseciu'ed at'the; front side and-at eachendo'fthe table QeXtending'fOrWardIy and upwardly, each bracket having abearing at its upper free end for'the rotatable mounting of a shaft5 which extends therethrough; At each end-of the shaft a gear segment 6 is permanently secured and extends to the rear.

The machine is belt driven preferably,ra belt from any suitable source of power pass ing around a driving pulley? fixed at one end of a horizontal shaft Smounted :inbearings' on-the end members 1 of the machine frame. The shaft 8 carries a gear 9 which meshes I with a second gear '10 fixed'to the end of an- I other horizontal shaft 11 .mounted in bear: ings on the ends 1 and e'xtendingiat each end beyond said ends of the machine: An automatic clutchlQof the type incommon use on punchvpresses is associated with the shaft 11 and gear lOandis' adapted to'be operated byfoot lever, 13 which is operat-ively connected withthe clutch by means. ofvarious links and bars lt one of -which is a trip for theac'lut'ch; The sjpecific construction of? the clutch: and

tripping mechanism therefor is not described' in detail as it is old and Well known and is present invention. It is enough :to \say that on steppingon thelever 13 the'shaft 11 is V rotated througha single revolution and automatically stopped at the completion of the revolution. At eachlend of the sha'ftll a wheel '15 is secured which is" 'connected'by .-a connecting rod :16 with thei gearssegment-6Q 9 The connection of the rods' 1 6t0 the' wheels 15 is by means'ofaradial T-slOt '17 in each Wheel "15in" whiclr'a- T-bolt l81is adjustably i V mounted whenebythethrow ofthe'r'o'd 16 may be controlled as =it :niayfbe adjusted inwardor toutwa'i'd with rresp ectto-the"center of*the 1 wheel 15 toiwhi'ch itis securedi 1 The rod 16' is i dividedand?equipped withfiavturn buckle take up r 'asashcwn wherebythis adjustment maybe readily effected,- 3 E iserid nt om he-f eg i g la n 0- :si'mu'lta-neously reciprocated first-win ran upward direction andthen'returning in' a downward direction to theposition occupied at the' i ing of the-operation: r

. f l t Located above the table 2, at the rear there 1 of, isfa casting 19' reduced in thickness adjacent its ends. VAbove :e'ach reducedend of thecasting 19 a bar-'20 islocatedyits' frqnt endbeing free and having an adju'sting screw 21 passing therethrough the lower end of which bears against the upper surface of the I adjacent end of the casting 19; whilethe op positeflrear end 'is connected by a. pin22 to said member 19; v The npper sides of the bars are located at an angle 'to thehorizontal, asshoWn'inFig. 2.

-.';The casting-19includes aheavy horizontal I connecting' bar 23 of metal (shownin Figs 3-, 41and 5) and further-includes upwardly extending p st eamarwnem and atthe rear. ide. There is ialsoyprovided atl'the upper aside and extending rearwardlyfrom the-"connecting bares a housing 25, in front of-Which ahorizontal die '26 is secured; thejtront end-of V which tapersto-an edge asshown and which stopc28;slidablyi mountedbeneath' the die 26j extends forward a. distance beyond the front side ofthebar 23.?Adju'sting means '27 for a isv mounted in the housing25. This adjust ing mechanism is not specificallyany feature of; .the'ijpresent invention and I is not described invfdetaillfi It is designed-"that the stop. 28 i I may befmoved' backward or. forwardto differ-j I "-ent positions. so as to regulate the distance that a: plate. f sheet I metal may be inserted under the free edge of the die 26. 1 a r Anfarm 30is'pivotally connected at its rear 7 end to: the;uppen end-of eachzoftheaposts 24 and at its free end is provided with a bearing fonashorts'tudshaft.31. :Eac'h ofthe shafts a 6 31 has ia'shallowrecess 32111 a side thereof see Fig, a nd eachofthe shafts frides, upona roll I loweredg'e tiandfm idway between its .ends is I rforme'dlwith adownwa'rjdly' extending lug 35 andgatits upperlfront' corner-with an upwardly'projecting 1edgef36fwhich normally lies'i directly belowfand'lspaced a short 'di stance.ifrom;the ltapered forward edgeot the it fj cl iei26i;{Thatisgfwhen the'rol-lers'33'areseated lithe recess32,-bar- 34 and'the ledge 36' are Idr'on'ped below'ith'e lower sideaof the'di'e 26 a 3 aidistancesuch 'thataffplate of fs he'et"metalv 7 'm'ay'fb readily inserted betweenthe di'e and:

t the outer end-of each of f a gear 37j is'secured which the" adjacentrgear segment 6 and isrotated on thereciprocatory movement of said segment.

=At the inner end of eachshaft 31 is an off-set member, 38 which normally extends downward and jforwardfor a short distance, said members .beinglintegral with theends of a 1 thirdheavyhorizontal-bar -39 which extends [parallel to and 'in front ofthe' bar 34:. ,The bar 39 at each end has a forwardlyiextendingsocket40integral'therewith. die plate; or,

as it is more commonly known, a flapper plate 4 1 liesabove and over the-'bar'39- having its :up'pjerside in the same plane'as the-lower- V 7 side of the die 26, and from the ends eithe 6 r platej-l arms"extendiwhi'eh arei'pivotallyj Q; connected at 42 to ,'lu'gs=i 42%projecting up ward from theouter end's'of the socket meme bers L40 (see Eigsl-l and E3)".

, An irregular'lyQshaped-f b' 'r.;member43.-has f i pivotal connection at"itsaippen'end' t l' to the Y f bar39 nearv its middle andat': its loweredge, 'said member' 43 extending downwardly through the recess' 3 andtotherear;.passing 1 between 1 the spaced apart fipairs of bars 45 whichin turn' are permanently connectedfat their-upper Iendjsto the downwardly-extend inglug35idescribed; V Afterathe-bar 43lpasses between thepairs of bars45' the same t er-V minates. in .a' hook #lfithrough which an ad-- 'jus ting screw 47 passesfupwardly..L1 ;Guide pins 4c 8 extend.laterallyjromthelowerend 1 portion ofthelmember43;between*thefibars f I of each p'airvzofj barsl 45 to guide the lower end of the membei'i'43fini1it's upward and downward movements" I W'th the' mechanism in the I the stop {28 is reached. j By. stepping on 'the inf Fig. 3: a plate of sheet metal, indicated at 49., is inserted. from, the frontvof thema;

chine over. the plate 41 and the ledgef36and V V under-the forwardfedge 0fthe"die:26 luntilf lever: 13 the mechanism is startedinopera- 39andattached plate 41m the position'sho'wn The gear segments .6 ar -oscillated 7 rotatiing'rthe ars 37 and turningff -barl-lb injFig'A. :At they'beginning'ofthe'jrot'ating movement ofthe gears I37atheshaftsF31- are turnedso as to disengage the recess-323from the, rollers 33, whereupor'ifthere :isa slight elevation of the? bar 3%; andijthe yupperzside {of the .1edger36, clampsgagainst; the-.Dnderj's'ide 0f;;the'ip1ateA9below; thektorward tapered edge offthe'die 26., and securely} holds the c late in-pl'ace'. The. plate 141 1 with the. continned rotativeiflmovementof'the-bar;39 ing 7 1 clockwisefdirection bendsthe plate] around rthe'edgeoftheSdie'ZGmaking thebend indio pcated' at. 50. 10f "coursei-by 1 adjusting the throw ofth e machine abend having a grea r angle maylbefmade.

It will be" noted'that with themovement 11; OfQ the bar -i39 'frorn the position shown in -Fig. *3 gtothatqshowniin Fig; 4 the'member V a .43 is elevatedand as-the plate 41 presses the 2 sheet metal against the upper inclined side of the die 26 the set screw 47 comes againstthe 'time the pressure exerted is the greatest.

This feature of construction is one of great value in devices of this character and insures uniformity of finished product.

Should it be desired to fold the edge portion of the metal fiat against the main body of the plate after the bend has been completed, as shown in Fig. 4, it is withdrawn from the machine on the return movement of the bar 39 and attached parts to initial position and it is then placed in the machine above the inclined free edge portion of the die 26 and the operation repeated. This is illustrated in Fig. 5 where the die or flapper plate 41 is about to complete the final operation, which, when completed, will cause the mechanism to occupy the same position as shown in Fig. 4:, whereupon the edge portion of the sheet metal plate 49 will be pressed flat against the main body of said plate.

The construction described has proved very practical and efficient in handlingsheet metal for making any, bends of any desired angle therein or for bending the edge portion of a plate of sheet metal over so as to eliminate sharp and rough edges, Supporting the bar 34 from underneathiat its middle point automatically when the pressure thereon is atits greatest has obviated defects in the product same un1form' fined in the appended claims and is to be a considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim: 7 1. In a machine of the class described, a support, a relatively fixed die mounted on said support, a movable die, means for moving the same to bend a plate of sheet metal about the edge of the fixed die, a support .ing bar located underneath the edge of the 7 against the fixed die.

2. In a machine of the class described, a

- support, a relatively fixed horizontally located die carried by said support having a free edge underneath which "the edge portion of a plateof sheet'metal is adapted t'o bef-passed, a' movably mounted-die adapted to be located horizontally in one position and over whiclr'the plate of sheet-metallis located 1 when the same i is inserted underneath theyfixeddieymeansfor turning the movable die about ahorizont'al axis to bend the sheet 'metal' about the free edge offixed die, 7 a supporting barI located-underneath said edge'ofthe fixed die over which 'thesh ee't metal passes, means for elevatingthe supporting bar a short distance .7 upon initiation of theturnlng movement of'the movable Idle,

and means automatically engaging against the underside of :said supporting bar at a point between its 'endsto 'press upwardly thereagainst when' the movable'die has been i turned to press the metal againstthe upper I side of thefixeddier *3. In-a machine of the class described, a

portion underneath which the edge of a plate 'of'sheetanetal is adapted-to be passed, a 'movable die' mountedito turn about) a horizontal axis'located to one side of theg-first die and adapted to be positioned horizontally in one position over which said plate ofisheet :metal passes, means for turning the movable-die about said hori-zontal' axis, asupportingbar located: underneath" the "free edge portion? of V the fixed-die over which the sheet .metal passes, means for automatically; raising the supporting bar at Zthebeginning ofi'the iturn-,

ing movement of the movable [die to'i'clamp the sheet metalbe'tweenit and the fixed die,

'and 'means-iconnected "with the: iinovable die and elevated thereby as ithesai ne is turned about said horizontal axis into engagement ,JK'agaiHstJ-Said supporting bar "at f l ..pOll'll3 be tween its ends to thereby ihold fthe' supporting ing'fbar against downward :fiexure when the movable: gdie has pressed the. metal against thelupper'sideof thefixeddieli a plate-of sheetmetal may bepassed thereoverland underneath the free edge of the V tion over the free edge portion of the fixed die, a supporting bar locatedjunderneath the free edge portion of the fixed die and normally slightly spaced therefrom whereby the sheet metal plate may pass thereover, means I for automatically elevating the supporting fixedf die, 'meanls forjmountingthe movable die-.to Itui'n about horizontal axis to a POSI-V bar to clamp the sheet metal between it and I the fixed die at the beginning of the turning movement of the movable die, means for turning said movable die about said horizontal axis, guide bars attached to the supporti I 2; off-the fixed die; and means- Connected with v ing'- bar}; and extending downwardly, therefrom, 4 a .fnember vconnected'with, the movable diegandfext'ending downwardly between said I i guidebars, means on said member engaging V with theguide barstoiguide thelowenend' of said member in its movements whereby; on

completion of the turnin'gmovement. of said 7 movable dietoa position over: the fixed die thelowe'rendof said memberpresses against 6 the underside of the supporting barria't a: i point intermediate its ends, for the purposes .'described.--* w j j. V I i 5.:In a, machine of the class described, .a I V relatively fixeddieanda movable die,vsaid" movabledie normally occupyinga position v I "wherein a plateof sheet metalm'ay be passed thereover 'a'nd underneath the edge oi the V fixed-die, a supporting bar 'ulider saidfixed 3 die overwhich the sheet 'metal'passegmeans i V. M

for automatically clamping the metal ,be-

'1 tweenf sa'id fiiged *die and supporting bar to atthebeginningof'themovement ofthemovable.diejmeans,for moving said'movablefdie tol bend the sheetmetali about the free edge a '11 the movable die and v-movable-atherewith ada tedt Ebearagainst thelower side of the supporting'bariat a point'between its ends on the completion oflthe movement of the 3o movable diep i i Q 't: V '6'. Ina imachine 'ofthe class described, a

relatively fixeddie', a movable die, means for. moving 'ithe same to bend {a plate lof "sheet 7 *Ineta-l aboutfthe edge {of the fiXeddie,-.and-

i j 35 means aetuated-by movement got ;the' mov- V 4g pressed against the.-fixeddie'. :511

I 45 relative to the other to" 'changethe position f '5o"-otherfof said 'dies whenrthe movablerzdiefis l i V abledie for exerting pressure at? the under a 'si'de of-fandnt a-point between theends of Qfs'aidlfixed dieat-thetime the lmovabledie is bro lght-fagainst-the sheet: metal and the same j ii Sheet metal bending "achinehavingji i; two relatively movable" dies; each having 7 f upper sheet metal'receiving' surfaces when in v I normalposition, means 'for moving one die a aOfiQitSlShBGtj mGtal receiving-surface, and a zmembefr oonnectedjto one of said dies andlo cated' beneath saiddies ,when in normal position said memberlengageable.: with the inoved-for elamping the.saididies together-at f he completion of the bendingmovement, i Intestimony:whereoflgaflixmy signature; 1 iFRANK -J, JARECKI," '7 r a, 

